Wish I Would Have Known That Earlier Park Tips

[Mehudicka]

Do you have any advice, a tip, that really saved you time or expense or got you into something sooner or better?

You know -- something you learned during your trip that you said... "Gee, if only I had known that earlier!" about touring the parks and working them the best way possible.

Would you mind sharing your special WDW park strategy?

3 weeks for us and counting!!!!
The Hudickas

 

[TiggMan]

Check out the following link:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=311217

Hope this helps

 

[momxx5]

I really wished we had brought our 2-way radio/walkie talkies.

We split up alot so DH and DS could do thrill rides and it seemed like the rest of us spent alot of time waiting around. I really meant to pack them but forgot. It would have saved us alot of time.

However, we did buy fan/water spray bottles ahead of time and saved some $$, as well as buying Rubbermaid water bottle holders(bonus blue gel freezy with them), and bought bottled water at grocery store - each child carried their own water and never complianed about wanting a drink.

 

[stacy6552]

Here's a tip I had but didnt follow...like a dummie.


Anytime you leave your stroller unattended out in the open, cover it with your rain cover. We went into Buzz Lightyear and come out to find it pouring and our stroller soaked.

Now if you dont follow the first tip, here's a second....

After finding your stroller soaked, remove all padding and toss it underneath. use a diaper to soak up the extra water and you tot should not be too wet frrom sitting on it.

 

[crzy4dsny]

When going into The AK and there are lines to get in, cut through The Rain Forrest Cafe. You walk right in every time. No lines no wait.

 

[sters]

I just learned this and plan to do this on my trip this year... Mail some nonperishable food items to my resort ahead of time, since I won't have a car and will be there a week. Disney won't charge you to store your stuff, you just need to put your date of arrival on the outside of your box. I know some people use Netgrocer.com, but their prices are high. I will bargain shop at home and just mail some lightweight snacks, a box of cereal, and some juice boxes, that kind of thing. When I have my "free" 15 minute shop with the towncar service, I can just run in and get a few perishables. I think this will save me time, money and aggravation.

 

[diznee25]

Do you have any advice, a tip, that really saved you time or expense or got you into something sooner or better?

Buy rain ponchos head of time! And carry it EVERYWHERE you go! Here's my story:

My fiancee' and I went to WDW last year in July. Didn't expect it to rain, we had just exited the Haunted Mansion and noticed the rain. We also noticed everyone else had taken cover, so there was no getting out of the rain for us! Not wanting to leave the park without anything to cover up with, it took us a few minutes of standing in the rain to realize that the souvineer shops sold rain ponchos! By this time we were really soaked! So we went in to a shop near the Haunted Mansion, bought our ponchos, put them on, and went back to the hotel to change out of our wet clothes. Two days later it rains while we're walking around World Showcase. No sweat, we're pros now! So we put on our ponchos and noticed many people leaving. Cool! We get the park to ourselves!

But the day after Epcot, the rain got it's revenge! We went to Downtown Disney for the afternoon without our rain ponchos! (We left our ponchos back in our hotel room. I swear, we didn't think it was going to rain!)

Diznee25

 

[GRAYWIFE]

Plan! Plan! Plan! I have found that if I plan ahead we accomplish more, in less time, with less stress.

I break down each day into blocks of morning, afternoon & evening. I make sure we have at least on free "block" of time each day.

There are many different things we all want to do during our vacation...so I have noted things in my itinerary like "me and mom to Epcot, while Rich & Syd at resort Pool". This helps to get everything we want to do done w/out stressing.

That is my tip...PLAN!!

 

[crazymomof4]

Originally posted by sters
I will bargain shop at home and just mail some lightweight snacks, a box of cereal, and some juice boxes, that kind of thing. I think this will save me time, money and aggravation.

This is a GREAT idea! I've been buying snacks such as Chex mix, granola bars, pretzels, etc. on half price to take and munch on in the parks. As this stuff is accumulating I'm wondering if we will have room for it in the car on the way down. So this tip would ease my mind.

But....I wonder if it would work for us. Here's my situation-- We are staying at a rental home near WDW. Has anyone else sent a box to a rental property? Could I have it delivered to arrive on an exact date? If I have it arrive on our scheduled check in date I guess they would just leave it by the front door and we'd get it later in the day.

 

[Msslaydbug]

Take time to enjoy yourself - otherwise you will miss SO many of the smaller things and be too tired by the end of your stay to tryul y enjoy every minute !! And this time we plan to enjoy our resort a little more

 

[GoldenOldie]

Originally posted by crazymomof4
...Here's my situation-- We are staying at a rental home near WDW. Has anyone else sent a box to a rental property? Could I have it delivered to arrive on an exact date? If I have it arrive on our scheduled check in date I guess they would just leave it by the front door and we'd get it later in the day.

Don't assume anything. If this is something you want to do, call the rental company and ask them how you should do it or even if it is something that is allowed.

 

[ddgirl]

I AGREE WITH ABOUT THE PONCHO ISSUE - BUY THEM BEFORE YOU GET TO THE PARKS AND DO NOT PURCHASE ANY YELLOW ONES!!!!! THE PARKS SELL YELLOW PONCHOS ONLY SO IF YOU HAVE TO BUY THEM AT THE PARK OR BUY YELLOW ONES - YOUR FAMILY WILL LOOK LIKE THE OTHER MILLION PEOPLE THERE WALKING AROUND. GET THE STRANGES COLOR YOU CAN FIND FOR ALL THOSE IN YOUR PARTY - AND YOU'LL HAVE AN EASIER TIME FINDING THEM IN A CROWD.

 

[ww52]

In the summer especially, check park hours every day for updates. We did e-night on 8/5 and got there expecting a 10:00 close (as it said on the WDW site before we left). Found out it was changed to 11:00.

Another thing - don't ever beleive the estimated wait times. Get a FastPass for any ride with any kind of line (as long as the return time is withon the time you still expect to be in the park). We got in line for TT with an estimated time of 45 minutes - since we didn't want to wait for the return time three ghours later. After 45 minutes we weren't even half way there - my daughter felt faint and we ended up spending an hour in first aid. Should have gotten the FastPass.

 

[Mehudicka]

One tip that comes to mind for me is to watch the MK parades down by Frontierland, rather than be overwhelmed with the crazy pushing people down Main Street.

We usually get a spot right up front near the end of the parade route every time, and take our time exiting the park.

Enjoy!
mehudicka

 

[disnaholic]

Mehudicka

I really like your parade tip amd intend to do this on the next trip.
One thing I think is soooo important, especially with young children, is plan a midday break!!

Take a small break and go back to the hotel for a nap or a swim, then go back to the parks. This will keep your kids from wearing out before the end of the day. If it is just not going to work out to where you can go back to your hotel for a break, go to one of the sit down shows or a sit down meal.

My DD had gotten overwhelmed on our first day at MK (she was 4 at the time, and this was after our hotel nap!), we had a PS for Crystal Palace, and the experience of seeing Pooh and friends, plus being able to sit down to relax cheered her up and woke her up.

 

[dgaston]

I should have known better-- don't try to see the fireworks from too close to the castle. The castle really does block the view of many of the shells. Go behind, watch from Tomorrowland, Casey's, Toontown, Liberty Square, almost anywhere else for better views.